


Mixed Feelings

by orphan_account



Series: Enchanted Worlds [14]
Category: Princess Tutu
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-16
Updated: 2014-01-16
Packaged: 2018-01-08 22:17:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1138045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Valentine's Day proves to be bitter for some, and sweet for others.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mixed Feelings

Rain streamed down the playroom windows in wide rivulets, the sky outside as dark as night despite that it was on the cusp of midday. Rue spared a glance at one of them and sighed deeply before returning to her reading. She’d chosen an armchair near where a fire crackled merrily in the fireplace, and had a thin blanket draped over her lap as well. She had _intended_ to go into town for some shopping, but hearing the downpour on the roof when she woke up had derailed those plans rather fatally, much to her displeasure. Ah well. She’d just have to hope for better weather on Sunday, and she had studying to do anyway.

She had barely five minutes more to focus her attention on the ecosystems of Series Nine before the sound of the door opening caught her attention. She looked over the top of the book to see Ahiru coming in with a stack of books in her arms. “Library trip? I’m surprised you’re alone.”

Color rose into Ahiru’s cheeks, highlighting her freckles. “I - wh-why? Wh-who would I be with?”

Rue rolled her eyes, even as her mouth formed a smirk. “Fakir, of course. Don’t you two always go to the library together?”

"I - ! N-no! I mean - usually, but, but not always!" The books she was holding wobbled a little. "I - I went by myself cause - cause he had, um, something else to do today." He had a story he wanted to work on and had told her so, but she wasn’t going to let Rue know that before it was okay. "I - I don’t think that’s weird…"

Rue shook her head. “Relax. I’m only teasing you. I know you two are perfectly capable of spending time apart, despite how often you seem to be joined at the hip. No, what’s weird is when he locks himself up in his room for hours on end and won’t tell anyone what he’s doing. I’d almost think he was… well… doing something I’d rather not dwell on, but he’d have the discretion to use a silence spell and I’ve heard entirely innocuous noises when I went down the hall, so.” She fixed Ahiru with a considering look. “Have _you_ any idea what he gets up to when he does that?”

"I - I, um…" Ahiru steered her mind off what Rue had implied and onto the question at hand. "I - wh-wh-how - how should I know? You - you’ve been here longer, you’ve known him longer, s-surely you have more of an idea…"

"He’s closer to you, though. Oh well." Rue shrugged. "Guess it’ll remain an unsolved mystery for now." She returned her attention to her book, and so she missed the mix of emotions that flitted across Ahiru’s face.

She hid her face behind her books as she headed towards a chair of her own. “I - I’m sure that’s not true…”

"And I’m sure it is." Rue flipped a page. "Granted, I’m obviously not present when it’s just you two, but… he does seem to trust you a lot, and he’s more comfortable with you than he’s ever been with me, it feels like. He seems… drawn to you."

Something squeezed painfully at Ahiru’s heart. “I - I wouldn’t put it that way… but, um, y-you mentioned a silence spell just now, wh-what did you mean by that?”

"Hmmm? Oh, right." Rue glanced up again. "You haven’t been shown that yet… remind me and I’ll tell you about it some other time. Right now I don’t think…" She trailed off as a distant clock chimed to mark the hour. "… we have the time. Later, though, after lunch."

The door opened again, and Ahiru’s gaze flew to it; this time Rue didn’t miss the way her face fell and her shoulders slumped as she saw that it was only Anne-Erina. Oblivious to Ahiru’s disappointment, she bustled in and laid two garish red envelopes - both decorated with various stickers and cut-out paper hearts - beside the plate set where Fakir usually sat, before heading over to the dumbwaiter to fetch out whatever Ebine had prepared for lunch.

It was as she loaded her arms with dishes that Fakir followed her in through the open door, nodding to Ahiru as he spotted her (though missing that her eyes lit up when she saw him) and then seating himself at his usual spot. Or, he would have had he not seen the envelopes first. He picked them up and inspected them, his eyebrows drawing together first in curiosity, then in an expression of irritated disgust. “What are _these?_ " he asked as Rue and Ahiru joined him at the table and peered at the offending missives from their respective places.

"Something that came in today’s post for you." Anne-Erina laid both food and drink on the table before them. "I don’t know anything about them, I was merely asked to deliver them to you. Enjoy your lunch." She bustled back out of the room.

"Hmph." Fakir gave the letters another contemptuous look before marching over to the fireplace and tossing them in. He didn’t stick around to watch them burn, instead immediately turning his back and returning to the table.

"Fakir!" Rue was genuinely aghast. "Why - do you even know who they’re from?"

"No, but I can guess." His heart had briefly fluttered at the sight of them, his mind seizing on the farfetched idea that one was from Ahiru, but a quick glance at the envelopes had quashed that notion. The handwriting on them was nothing like hers, after all, and it had only been a fool’s hope anyway. "Likely they’re from _those_ girls.”

"Well… yes… I admit that’s the most likely case, but…" Rue frowned as she poured herself some hot tea. "What if it’s not? What if it was from someone you _wanted_ to get a love letter from?”

"There isn’t anyone I’d want one from." Fakir reached for a roll and began to butter it. "So it doesn’t matter."

Rue shot a quick glance at Ahiru, but Ahiru was bending down under the table for something she’d dropped. “Really? No one at _all?_ Not even one person?”

"No." It was painful, somehow, to lie like that, but if he told the truth… well, it didn’t bear thinking about. "Why do you even care?"

"I…" Rue let her breath out in a huff. "I don’t, really, I just… oh, never mind." Beside Fakir, Ahiru had retrieved whatever it was she dropped, and was sitting back up again with an expression that suggested a dam straining against the force of a mighty flood. That, Rue decided, meant it was time for a subject change, and quickly. She wavered for a moment, and then latched onto the first thing she could think of, though she didn’t know how good a choice it would be. "I wonder how Mr. Katz is doing in this downpour… I think I heard that he was going to take Miss Goatette out for dinner in town, but if he’s taken ill again that may be cancelled…"

"Awww, I forgot about that." Some of the pain receded further behind Ahiru’s hastily built wall, lightening a bit of the pressure on it. "Poor Mr. Katz, and poor Miss Goatette… I hope they can still go on their date tonight."

"I hope so too. Ahiru, will you pass me the honey? Thank you." Rue paused long enough to accept the little pitcher from her. "Though even if he is under the weather, she’s likely to hover at his side and take care of him, so either way they’ll spend the evening together, even if it’s not the way they wanted or planned."

"That’s good, but I still feel sorry for them." Ahiru’s voice caught slightly, so she hurried and began to eat in an effort to keep from speaking until she fully trusted it.

She didn’t end up talking much during lunch, but the topics Rue brought up in an effort to cheer her up worked as intended to take her mind off what was troubling her, and she relaxed more and more as the meal went on. Painful thoughts still pricked at the back of her mind, but she pushed them away with increasing effectiveness.

Until, that is, they were done eating and had risen from their seats, intent on returning to what they’d been doing before. The door burst open with a bang and Uzura barreled through it, a harried-looking Miss Goatette right behind her. “I brought valentines zura!” She brandished a stack of papers that looked to have drawings of some kind on it.

"Valentines?" Ahiru stared blankly at her. She’d been trying so hard not to think about what day it was that she really had almost forgotten it was Valentine’s Day.

Uzura’s happy expression faltered as she saw Ahiru’s face. “Isn’t it lovey-dovey day zura?”

"Yes it is, Uzura, don’t worry," Rue said, moving to stand in front of Uzura. "And you made us valentines? How kind of you!"

"Yes zura!" Uzura looked down at the little stack and selected one from it to hold out to her. "Here zura! This is yours zura!"

Rue took it from her, and a genuine smile lit up her face, along with a slight blush. It was a drawing of herself and the prince, dancing at a ball. “Oh, Uzura, this is lovely. Thank you!”

"You’re welcome zura." She selected two more and headed over to Ahiru. "For you zura." Over to Fakir. "And the same one for you zura. Mama made a copy zura."

"I…" Ahiru stared down at the drawing of herself and Fakir holding hands with a pink heart drawn around them. "Th-thank you, Uzura… this is… this is really good."

"Y-yeah - I - did you use the set I got you for Christmas to draw these?" Fakir asked, hoping desperately that that would change the subject. He was quite oblivious to the look on Ahiru’s face, focused only on how flustered he felt seeing what Uzura had drawn. It was a cute drawing, he could objectively admit that, but the subjects… it made him want to crawl under a table and hide. And when had it gotten so warm in there? "That was… kind of you."

It had occurred to him, of course, to get Ahiru something to mark this day. He’d quickly realized, however, that in order to pass it off as merely a friendly gesture he’d have to get Rue something too, and he wanted his hypothetical gift to Ahiru to be special. But he also didn’t want to give away his feelings, so he’d bought nothing at all and had done his best at breakfast to act like it was any other day and pretend that he forgot it was a holiday celebrating love.

Uzura nodded. “You like them zura? I worked really hard zura!”

"I - I can tell." Ahiru tried to smile. "Y-you did a really good job." Beside her, Rue frowned as she caught sight of her expression.

"Yay zura!" Uzura beamed. "They were fun zura!"

"Come on, Uzura, let’s leave them to whatever they’re doing," Miss Goatette spoke up. "You still have more to deliver, anyway."

"Lovey-dovey, lovey-dovey," Uzura chanted as she obeyed, marching back out the door after Miss Goatette. Rue turned towards Ahiru, intending to ask to speak to her privately, but she was distracted by the arrival of Anne-Erina before the door could even close behind their previous guests.

"Miss Rue." She curtsied."I was told to inform you that you have a guest waiting for you in the parlor."

"I - oh! Goodness!" Rue recovered quickly from being startled and fell right into nervous excitement. "I - I’ll be right down! Thank you!" She hurried out, but spared a glance backwards at Fakir and Ahiru. "I’ll see you two later, then!"

She rushed to her room first, to make sure her dress and hair were in order, and then practically flew down the stairs. Her mind was in two places as she went: one half in the parlor she was heading to, the other resting on Ahiru and her strange behavior first at lunch and then over Uzura’s valentines. She dearly wished she could have had time to sort that out and get to the heart of it before her unexpected - but oh so very welcome - visitor arrived, but there was nothing to be done about it. She would just have to deal with it later and hope it wasn’t too bad for Ahiru’s sake.

"Oh, Rue!" She stopped short in the hall as her name was called, and turned to see Raetsel there. She had her work clothes on, her hair tightly bound at the back of her head and her engagement ring on a chain around her neck. "Good to see you. And speaking of seeing… I caught sight of a _very_ handsome young man being escorted to the parlor, _and_ I hear tell he’s here to see _you_.” She winked and laughed. “Is this the one that you told me about? The prince from Series Seven?”

Rue blushed. “Y-yes. I hadn’t expected him to show up here today, as I don’t think Valentine’s Day is really a thing there the way it is here, and we didn’t discuss it, but… it’s a nice surprise anyway.”

"How lovely." Raetsel gave her a warm smile. "Go on then, I won’t keep you. You must be so eager to see him."

"Oh, Raetsel!" Rue laughed, though, and smiled back at her before continuing on her way. She took a deep breath to steady herself before opening the door.

The prince rose from his seat as she entered. “Rue.”

"Siegfried." The name still sounded strange on her tongue, but he’d insisted on her usage of it in private, as anything else seemed too impersonal for what their relationship had become, so she was making an effort. "What an unexpected pleasure." She closed the door behind herself and walked towards him.

"Yes, I did wish to give you more notice, but I was unsure until today that I would able to slip away from my duties to see you." He took her hand and kissed it. "I understand it is a major holiday here, but it doesn’t hold much importance in my world."

"Oh, I wouldn’t say _major_ ,” Rue demurred. “Well-known, certainly, but not on a level of import like that of Christmas. It’s frivolous, but fun. Regardless, though, I am happy to see you here.” She smiled.

"And I you." Siegfried smiled back at her. "Am I correct in understanding that it is customary for those who are romantically involved to exchange gifts on this day?"

"Ah - yes." Rue nodded, even as a flutter of panic worked its way through her. "It - it’s by no means required, however, and -"

"Nevertheless, I have brought you something." He retrieved a small box from the table. "I hope you will accept it."

"I - oh goodness, I -" Rue’s heart sank. "I wasn’t expecting - we never discussed this - I don’t have anything for _you!_ " She backed away, shaking her head and clasping a hand to her mouth. "How can I accept this when I cannot reciprocate in kind?"

"I don’t need you to." He shook his head. "I only need you to accept the gift and take joy from it. It is not your fault that you have nothing in return - as you said, we did not discuss this and you did not know beforehand that I would be seeing you today. You cannot be expected to read minds, and so I’m not disappointed in the lack of reciprocation."

"I…" Rue stared down at the box in his hand. "I suppose you have a point, but still… still, I do not feel right."

"If you’re really this insistent upon it, give me something of your choosing a month from this day. It can be the reversal of a tradition in another part of your world." He smiled. "I don’t require it, but if it would set your mind at ease…"

"Hmmm…" She considered it. "Yes, that does have its appeal… a month, then? Do keep the calendar free."

"Of course." Siegfried nodded. "Now will you accept this gift?"

"Yes!" Rue laughed and took the box from him, and sank down onto the sofa. He sat down beside her as she opened it, and smiled at her gasp of delight as she revealed the piece of jewelry within. It was a beautifully carved cameo of a woman’s profile, made of a glistening golden jewel and merged seamlessly with a shiny orange gem. On the gold backing it was set on a small flower bore a tiny moonstone at its center, and it dangled from a cord made from a smooth black metal. "Oh, my pri - Siegfried… it’s beautiful…"

"Do you like it, then?" He watched her lift it from the box with a reverent expression on her face. "An itinerant jeweler who makes one of a kind creations came by the palace, and when I saw it amongst her offerings, I thought it suited you."

"It does." Rue gave him a dazzling smile. "It’s wonderful. Thank you. I love it."

"That’s good. Because…" He hesitated, then plunged on ahead. "She is not just a jeweler, but a storyteller, and attaches meanings and tales to the pieces she creates, based on the materials she uses and the lands she finds them in. This one, she told me, is called the Gem of Love, and the stones used in the main part of the necklace symbolize affection and partnership." He laid his hand over hers where she held the necklace. "If it is too soon to present you with such a thing, tell me and I will rescind it, but if your feelings are the same…"

"They are." Rue smiled. She could feel considerable heat in her face, and her heart was racing, but with joy rather than terror. "Worry not. It is a most welcome gift, and I… I will treasure it."

"Good. I am glad." He cupped her face in his other hand, and leaned forward to give her a small kiss. "If you like," he continued, "I can put it on you now."

"Oh - oh, please do!" Rue eagerly relinquished the necklace, and turned around so that he could adorn her with his gift, suddenly grateful she’d taken the time to put her hair up today. She shivered when his fingers brushed her skin as he slipped it around her neck and locked the clasp in place. As soon as it was on, she turned back around so he could see it on her. "How does it look?"

"As though it was meant to be there." Siegfried smiled. "Unfortunately, I’m afraid I cannot stay to admire it. I apologize, but I must return home to my duties - a dull but unavoidable function awaits me tonight."

"Don’t worry about it." Rue shook her head. "I understand. Business as usual tends to go on even here on this day, and we attach more importance to it than you do in your world." In truth, she was actually somewhat relieved: happy as she was to see him and to receive such a splendid gift, part of her mind was still occupied with worry over Ahiru, and the chance to go check on her and make sure she was all right was very welcome.

"Thank you, it’s appreciated." He sighed. "Believe me, if I could use this day as an excuse to get out of tonight I would, but…"

"But you can’t. I know." Rue laughed. "Don’t worry, it’s fine. Truly. Let me walk you back, so they don’t have to manage without you for long."

"I do suppose I’d better not be late." He sighed again, but smiled at her anyway. "Thank you, again."

"Of course."

She knew, as they walked back to the entrance hall and bid each other farewell, that she should feel guilty about being relieved to see him leave so soon. And she did feel a twinge of it, really - she honestly did care deeply for him, and he’d given her such a lovely gift. But she didn’t feel as much of it as she knew she probably should have. Because, well… Ahiru’s expression haunted her. Something was very wrong with her, and had been for a couple weeks, and she needed to get to the bottom of it _now_ and try to do what she could for her friend.

A simple locating spell told her that Ahiru was alone in her bedroom, which made things easier. Rue hurried back upstairs after saying goodbye to Siegfried, making a beeline for Ahiru’s room at the end of the hall. She knocked on the door. “Ahiru? Can I come in?”

"H-huh? R-Rue?" She sounded like she had a cold, but Rue knew she wasn’t sick. "I - I g-guess…"

To her dismay but not her surprise, opening the door revealed that Ahiru was sitting on her bed with wet streaks down her face, and fresh tears in her eyes. “Oh… Ahiru…” Rue’s heart sank, and she closed the door before rushing over to the bed to sit beside her, almost sitting on a piece of paper that Ahiru hastily moved onto her bedside table. “I could tell earlier that something was wrong, but…” She put her arm around her. “Do you… want to talk about it?”

"I… um…" Ahiru gulped, her gaze straying past Rue and to her bedroom door. It was closed, but…

"Don’t want anyone else to hear?" Rue guessed. Ahiru nodded. "Don’t worry. Here, I’ll do that silence spell I mentioned earlier, you can practice later -" She concentrated, and a few seconds later they were both vaguely aware of an invisible cloud of soundlessness surrounding them, preventing any noise they made from being heard from without. "Now… you don’t _have_ to tell me what’s bothering you, but if you feel comfortable and think it might help, rest assured that only I can hear you _and_ that I wouldn’t dream of telling anyone else.”

"I…" Ahiru stared down at her lap, where her hands were clutching at her skirt. "I mean… I - I know you wouldn’t, I just… I don’t know how to say it, where to begin…"

"That’s all right. Take your time and let the words come to you." Rue frowned as she spotted the piece of paper Ahiru had moved, realizing now that it was Uzura’s handmade valentine. On the corner, there was a spot that looked like water had dripped onto it. No, not water: she was sure Ahiru had cried on it. Suddenly, she thought she knew what Ahiru might be trying to find the words to express. "Ah… is this… is this about?" She gestured to the drawing. "Uzura’s valentine? You did seem upset by it before."

"Um… k-kind of?" Ahiru swallowed. "I mean… yes, but… it’s not all of it, it’s also… I mean…" She hung her head. "It was really nice of her, and I know she means well, and it’s cute, but… but it’s also…" She shuddered as she tried to suppress a sob. "It makes me think about stuff I want but I can’t have."

"Well, that’s natural." Rue tried to choose her words carefully, in case her suspicions were off-base. "A lot of people get lonely on Valentine’s Day when they’re single, because it reminds them that they don’t have anyone to spend it with. They want someone to share it with instead of being alone."

"That’s… I mean, it’s kind of… I mean…" Ahiru took a deep breath, even as some of her tears spilled out. "I-it’s not that I w-want just - just anyone, it’s not about that, I wanna be with someone specific. I - I wanna be… I wanna be with… Fakir." His name came out as a whisper, and she she clapped her hand over her mouth as though that could call it back. "I… I love him," she confessed through her fingers, looking anywhere but at Rue.

"Ahiru…" Rue stared at her. It was as she’d suspected, but was surprising nevertheless because it was _more_ than she’d suspected. “I… to be honest, I thought you might have a crush on him or something, but I didn’t realize… I didn’t know your feelings ran so deep.” Now that she thought about it, though, it explained rather a lot of things about Ahiru’s behavior around him, especially lately.

Ahiru nodded. “Th-they do. I’m s-sorry I didn’t tell you before, I know I promised to tell you if I ever did find s-someone I felt that way a-about, but… but I just didn’t know how and I only just realized it recently…”

"When?" Rue asked softly. "And don’t feel bad about something like that, it’s your right to not tell me if you didn’t feel comfortable for any reason."

"It - it’s not that I didn’t f-feel comfortable, it’s… I just didn’t know how, and…" Ahiru’s hands twisted in her lap. "Um, anyway, I… I realized it at Raetsel’s p-party. I - I s-saw him with those other girls, and it - it made me feel so j-jealous but then I was kinda glad when he said he wasn’t interested in them, and I was unhappy cause - cause Raetsel didn’t even think that he might like me or be with me when she asked if he had a g-girlfriend, and then I was also thinking about him l-leaving and not seeing him for years and how I’d feel if he came back engaged or m-married to somebody else and it just hurt so much and I didn’t know why and then he and I were talking about stuff and he smiled at me and suddenly I just… I just knew." Her shoulders shook as she struggled to hold back yet more tears. "Pl-please, Rue, please don’t tell him! He can’t know, he just can’t!"

"Oh, Ahiru." Rue squeezed her arm. "What did I just say a few minutes ago? And back on Halloween too? I promise I’ll keep your secret. And it’s better if you tell him, anyway. Which you should do when you’re ready."

"No!" Ahiru shook her head. "I can’t!"

"Whyever not?" Rue frowned.

"I told you, he can’t know!" Ahiru stared down at their joined hands, misery surging up inside her in a great flood. "He doesn’t feel that way about me. Remember at lunch? He said there’s no one he’d want to get a love letter from."

"And you _believed_ him?” Rue raised an eyebrow. “What makes you think he wasn’t lying because he assumed I’d tease him and try to pester him into telling me who he _would_ like to get one from? Which, to be fair, I probably would have.” Ahiru gave a watery little laugh, and Rue smiled. “There’s no way someone like Fakir would admit to having secret feelings for someone right in front of that person, especially to someone like me who’d be unlikely to let it go at just that.”

"I guess, maybe, but, but still." Ahiru hiccupped. "I just d-don’t think I’m his type."

"Again I ask: whyever not?" Rue’s brow knitted in confusion. "You’re sweet, and kind, and lovely, and he obviously cares a lot about you and enjoys spending time with you. However he acts, he wouldn’t agree to half the things I see you ask him for if he didn’t genuinely like being around you."

"Y-yeah, b-but, that just means he sees me as a friend or - or a little sister." Ahiru’s shoulders slumped. "I d-don’t think he’d ever be attracted to me or anything like that, I don’t think he’d see me that way."

"How do you know?" Rue persisted. "Again, don’t you remember Halloween? I mean, okay, I don’t think _you_ noticed, but I certainly did - he couldn’t take his eyes off you in that costume. Or in your dress at the party, for that matter. And that’s not the only time, I’ve seen the way he looks at you when he thinks no else sees. I’ve suspected for a while that he has feelings for you, Ahiru. So when you feel brave enough, you should tell him about yours.”

"No. Never." Ahiru shook her head again, and tried to swallow down the lump in her throat. "I really… I really don’t think that’s a good idea. I don’t think he’d want me at all. He wasn’t interested in those girls Raetsel introduced him to, so what chance do I have?" Her shoulders slumped. "They were prettier than I am, and more elegant, and probably smarter, and…"

"You don’t know that," Rue said gently. "You don’t know anything about them except how they look. Even then, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I say you’re just as pretty, if not more so. And that’s before we even discuss how wonderful you are as a person. How do you know Fakir doesn’t think the same thing? You can’t tell what he’s thinking most of the time, and your own perceptions of yourself are a bit skewed, I don’t think they’re accurate at all. Have you considered that he might be disinterested in them because he’s already taken with you?"

"I didn’t think of that, but… no." She wiped at her eyes and sighed. "I don’t think that’d be it, I really don’t… it’s impossible. It’s nice to think about, but I doubt it could be true. I don’t think he’d have that kind of interest in me, I just don’t, he’d want somebody… somebody not like me."

"I… don’t think so, but there’s no arguing with you on this, is there?" Rue sighed too. "Okay. If you don’t want to listen to reason, then that means I’ll have to take your mind off things for a while, if you want. How about we practice that silence spell a little so you can get the hang of it, and then go do something fun in my room? I’ll even bring up some chocolate from the kitchens, if you fancy a late dessert."

"Th-that sounds good." Ahiru sniffled and wiped at her eyes again. "I - I’d like some candy…"

"Good." Rue smiled. "I’ll take this one down - there - and now, you should picture something like a wall around us, that no one can see, and…"

It took Ahiru only a few tries to successfully put the spell up around them again the way she wanted it, and Rue warmly congratulated her before ushering her off to her own room so they could have fun there. It was a good distraction, even if it didn’t completely push out the thoughts troubling Ahiru, and Rue was kind enough not to mention her visit from the prince until the new jewelry around her neck was noticed and inquired after. Her story of their moments together seemed to cheer Ahiru, though, as she was genuinely happy for her friend, and their afternoon was thus whiled away on pleasant things until they had to head down for dinner.


End file.
